Automatic cut-off for cisterns.



R. E. ESTES.

vAUTOLLIATIG OUT-oFF PoR oIsTBRNs.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 28, 1907.

Patented Mar attaining' 5 TH: NoRRls MYERS col, wAsmNGrQN, n. l:4

ROBERT EPHRIAM ESTES, OF MIDLAND, TEXAS.

AUTOMATIC CUT-OFF FOR CISTERNS.

Speceation of Letters Patent.

Patented March 9, 1909.

Serial No. 399,522.

Application filed Gctober 28, 1907.

To all whom it may concern: ,u i

Be it .known that l, Ronnirr MErnmari EsTn's, cltizen of the United States, residing at Midland, in the county of Midland and State of Texas, have invented certain new CII and useful Improvements in Automatic Cut- Offs forCisterns, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is an improved apparatus for use in connection with rain spouts and cisterns and is designed to automatically prevent the rain-water which first flows down a spout during a rain and which is obviously contaminated by the dirt and trash collected upon the roof, from being discharged into the cistern.

With this and other objects in view as will more fully appear as the description proceeds the invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements of parts that l shall hereinafter fully describe and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved ap aratus, partly broken away to show trie 'loat within the reservoir. Fig. 2

is a similar view showing my improved cut-l oif applied thereto.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters,

My invention comprises a reservoir 1 of any desired size or sh ape in the top of which is fitted a pan or tray 2, with its sides 3 projecting upwardly as shown, said tray being covered with wire gauze 4. A waste pipe 5 is secured to the side of the tray and leads therefrom as shown. The bottom of the tray 2 is formed with a small opening 6 protected by wire gauze, a larger opening 7 having an up* wardly projecting rim 8 somewhat shorter than the sides of the tray, and an aperture 9 in which is secured a tube 10 extending upwardly above such sides.

Within the reservoir 1 is a iloat 11 which normally rests on a supporting cross bar 12 secured in the reservoir as shown. Secured to this float 11 is a rod 13 extending upwardly therefrom through the aperture 9 in the bottom of the tray and through the tube 10.

A rain s )out 1.4 is adapted to lead to a cistern (not shown), said spout being provided in its length with a shunt opening 15 and a shunt pipe 16 therefrom and terminating above the reservoir 1. ln the shunt opening 15is provided a cut-olf 17 which is operatively connected to he rod 13 of the iloat by means of a crank 18 and a link 18a. The lever 18 of the cut-ofl` is so held by the rod 13 when the iioat is in its normal position that the cut-oil will open the shunt opening 15 tlereby compelling the water flowing down the spout 14 to pass out of said o ening, through the shunt pipe 16 and be discharged tlierefrom into the tray 2 to fill the reservoir. A small outlet 19 is formed near the bottom of the reservoir 1 so that it may be emptied after it has been filled, this outlet being preferably protected by wire gauze.

ln the practical operation of my improved automatic cut-off for cisterns, the rain water iirst flowing down the spout 14 during a rain and which obviously contains dirt and rubbish from thereof, passes into the shunt pipe 16 and is discharged therefrom into the tray 2, such dirt and trash in the water being caught by the wire gauze 4. From the tray 2 some of the water runs into the reservoir 1 through the small opening 6 in the bottom. of such tray and the rest flows through the waste pipe 5 in the side of the tray. In the oase of a heavy rain these means are not suihcient to carry off all the water discharged from the pipe 16 and said tray gradually iills. When the water in the tray is deep enough, it flows over the rim 8 and through the opening 7 of the tray into the receptacle 1, the waste pipe 5 and the openings 6 and 7 being sulficient to carry oil all the water discharged from the shunt ipe 16. The receptacle 1 is subsequently lil ed, thereby raising the iloat and its attached rod, which in turn operates the cut-oil 17 so as to close the shunt opening 15 and allow the rain-water which is manifestly free from rubbish by this time, to iiow into the eistern. The water receptacle 1 is emptied by means of the outlet 19 formed for that purpose, such emptying resulting in the gradual dropping'of the float upon its support 12 whic action operates the lever 18 by means of the rod 13 to return the cut-oill to its original position.

One inodiiication of my invention, as shown in Fig. 2 embodies the preferred form of cut-off to be used in connection with the i device. ln this case the rod 13 of the iioat ll is provided with a tapering plug i7"l which is formed with an outwardly extending iiange 2O and a washer supported there* on. This plug 17a is designe to be .closed against the shunt opening 15a of the spout 14 upon the raising of the oat ll and to be withdrawn from said opening upon the lowering of such i'loat. The tapered portion of the plug serves to spread the water discharged from the shunt opening 15FL and also prevents the accumulation o'l" rubbish on such plug 17a.

From the above description inconnection with the accompanying drawings it will readily be seen that I have provided an automatic cut-oil for cisterne which is of simple and durable construction and which is most efficient in operation.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is :-F

l. The combination with a rain spout adapted to lead to a cistern and formed with a shunt opening, oi' a reservior mounted below said opening, a tray mounted in the top of said reservoir and adapted to receive the water discharged through the shunt openingJ said tray being formed with an opening 'lior leading the water into the reservoir, and means for closing the shunt opening upon the iilling of the reservoir.

2. rlhe combination with a rain spout formed with a shunt opening, of a reservoiry a tray mounted in the top of said reservoir and adapted to receive the water discharged through the shunt opening, said tray being formed with upwardly projecting sides and. in its bottom with two openings, one oli` said Y openings being larger than the other and being provided with an upwardly projecting rim shorter than the sides o'l the tray, and means for automatically closing the shunt opening upon the 'iilling oi' the reservoir.

3. The combination with a rain spout provided with a shunt opening, of a reservoir, a tray mounted in the top of said reservoir and into which the spout is designed to discharge rain-water through the shunt opening, said tray being formed with an opening for lead ing the water into the reservoir, a waste pipe leading from the tray and means for automatically closing the shunt opening to cut oil' the iiow of water'into the tray upon the iilling of the reservoir. y

4. The combination with a rain spout pro vided with a shunt opening, a reservoir adapted to receive water from the spout through the shunt opening, a tray mounted in the top of said reservoir and formed in its bottom with an aperture'and with an opening for leading the water into the reservoir7 a support secured in the reservoir, a float normallyresting' on the support, al rod secured to the iioat 4and extending upwardly therefrom through the aperture in the tray, and

means controlled by the rod and float for closing the shunt opening to cut od the How of water into'the reservoir upon the filling of the latter.

5. The combination with a rain spout provided with a shunt opening, of a reservoir, a tray mounted in the top of said reservoir and formed in its bottom with an aperture and with an opening for leading the water into vided with a shunt opening7 of a reservoir s,

adapted to receive water from the spout through the shunt opening thereoi7 a tray mounted in the top of the reservoir andormed in its bottom with an aperture and with an opening for leading the water into theV reservoir, a support secured within the reservoir7 a float normally resting on the support, a rod secured at one end to the float and extending upwardly therefrom through the aperture in the tray and a plug secured to the protruding end ol said rod and designed upon the raising of the rod and iioat to be closed against the shunt opening in the spout as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination with a rain spout provided with a shunt opening, of a reservoir adapted to receive water from the spout through the shunt opening thereof, a tray mounted in the top of the reservoir and formed in its bottom with an aperture and with an opening for leading the water into the reservoir, a support secured within the reservoir, a float normally resting on the support, a rod secured at one end to the float and eX- tending upwardly therefrom through the aperture in the tray and a tapering plug formed on the protruding end oli the rod and designed upon the raising of the rod and i'ioat to be closed against the shunt opening in the spout as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination with a rain spout formed with a shunt opening, oi a reservoir, a tray mounted therein and adapted to receive water discharged through the shunt opening, means for slowly conducting the water from the tray into the reservoir, and means 'for automatically closing the shunt opening by and upon the iilling of the reservoir.

In testimony whereof l ailiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

l ROBERT lilllllill ESTES lL. 1Witnesses E. M. WHITAKER, E. STAUTs. 

